FRANKFORT, Ky. (9/27/13) – Student performance, college/career-readiness and the number of students graduating from high school are improving, according to data released today by the Kentucky Department of Education.

"The statewide data clearly show we are making progress, though slower than we would like," said Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday. "We’ve raised expectations and aligned them with what students need to be successful; we are moving in the right direction toward the goal of providing a world-class education for every Kentucky student and ensuring all children graduate college/career-ready," he said.

Overall student performance showed improvement from 2012 with the percentage of proficient and distinguished students increasing in nearly every subject at every grade level; students in groups that have historically had achievement gaps are also performing at a higher level.

Since Senate Bill 1 passed in 2009, the state has focused on better preparing students for life after high school. In 2013, the college/career-readiness rate jumped to 54.1 percent – up from 34 percent in 2010.

"In just three years we’ve gone from only a third of our students being ready for college and career to more than half," Holliday said. "That’s around 8,000 students who now have a much better shot at getting a good job, paying taxes and becoming self-sufficient Kentuckians," he said.

Also, more students are getting a diploma. The state is using a new, more accurate way to measure graduation rate that shows 86 percent of students are graduating from high school in four years.

This is the second year the state has reported results from Kentucky’s Unbridled Learning for All Assessment and Accountability System.

Based on an improvement in overall scores from 2012, 114 more schools and 31 more districts are performing at the highest levels -- classified as either proficient or distinguished. A total of 641 schools and 63 districts met the requirements to be considered progressing, a new label under the system this year.

ACCOUNTABILITYPublic schools and districts earn points, on a scale of 0 to 100, based on how well they do on up to five components of this year’s accountability system. The points are weighted to determine an overall accountability score. On average, the statewide score improved slightly more than two points to 57.3 in 2013.

Click on table to enlarge

*College/Career-Readiness includes a bonus calculation for accountability.

In 2012-13, five components contribute points to the overall score; each is weighted.•Achievement – Student performance on tests of reading, mathematics, science, social studies and writing•Gap – comparing performance (percentage of proficient and distinguished) of students who are members of traditionally underperforming groups (ethnic minorities, special education, poverty and limited English proficiency) to the goal of 100 percent proficiency in all five content areas•Growth – comparing an individual student’s score to the student’s academic peers to determine if typical or higher levels of growth have occurred in reading and mathematics•College/Career-Readiness – high school graduates who have successfully met an indicator of readiness for college and/or careers•Graduation Rate –the percentage of on-time graduates as measured by a Four-year Adjusted Cohort formula. Graduation rates in 2012 were based on the Averaged Freshman Graduation Rate formula.